Fort McHenry
Introduction The Battle of Fort McHenry helped influence a lot of things that changed the course of the war. This battle was one of the main reasons as to why the United States has remained an independent nation to this very day. Before this battle, the United States was in a very tough position with the British. The Background of the War of 1812 The battle of Yorktown marked the end of the American Revolution against the British Empire. However, they were wrong. After they signed the Treaty of Paris, which confirmed Britain’s recognition of the United States of America as its own nation, the two countries were, again, in conflict with each other (Smithsonian). The main conflict was the British impressments of American sailors from the American ships (Maryland). War was declared on England by the United States on June 18, 1812 (US History). The United States was still a bit in the transition of getting their new nation together after the first two presidents of the United States. James Madison was the new president during the war of 1812, and he was a brilliant one at that with many ideas that could help end the war against British. The Background of the Battle of Fort McHenry During the year of 1814 in late August, the town of Washington was captured and burned to the ground by the British. With that out of the way, Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochran e moved on to attack Baltimore (Navy Commemorations). The reason for this was that it was home to privateering operations that netted over 500 British merchantmen and would help in winning the war since it was also the third largest city in the United States so far. Fort McHenry was the fortification that was guarding the entrance to Baltimore Harbor which also held the key to the city’s defenses (Navy Commemorations). The Walls, improvements, fortifications, and preparations of Fort McHenry: Fort McHenry was a powerful fortification in Baltimore Harbor. Construction for this fort began in 1799 and was completed in 1805. Its curtain walls were of earth and masonry with a pentagon plan with bastions on each corner (Chartrand). It was armed with 36-42 pounder guns and garrisoned by 1000 men who were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armistead. The west side of Fort McHenry was protected by three forts (Grodzinski). To protect from the British, a series of trenches were prepared on the east side of Baltimore on Hampton Hill. The trenches stretched over two kilometers, connecting eight batteries with a total of 62 guns, and the Third Maryland Brigade, led by Brigadier General John Stricker was assigned to this area (Grodzinski). Large gun barges were built around these areas to defend the harbor. The city militia was called for from Baltimore for periodic drills (U.S. History). Improvements were also made to Fort McHenry and the other forts aroun d the area. These improvements included the mounting of thirty-two-pound cannons along the edge of the water, a few fortifications at Lazaretto Point, and some more gun batteries along the Patapsco River (U.S. History). The Battle of Fort McHenry Major General Robert Ross landed on with 4,500 men on the tip of north point on September 12, 1814. He later met General Stricker’s forces and was killed in the battlefield. The new command was left to Colonel Arthur Brooke who decided to stay in the battle througho ut the night (Hickman). On September 13, Brooke moved the battalion of heavy ships to bomb Fort McHenry. The ships contained five bomb ketches, ten smaller warships, and the rocket vessel HMS Erebus. At 6:30 A.M., the British were in position and opened fire on Fort McHenry with heavy mortar shells and Congreve rockets from the Erebus. During the assault, the ships decided to draw in closer to make more damage to the fort but were hailed by Armistead’s guns and were forced to retreat a little back. The British then intended to move in on the Americans after dark and moved 1,200 men on small boats to attack from the coast. Thinking they were safe, the soldiers fired rockets to signal the attack which gave away their position to Fort Covington and Fort Babcock, and, because of suffering heavy losses, the British withdrew from the land. By dawn, the British navy had shot between 1,500 and 1,800 rounds with barely any impact on Fort McHenry. The biggest danger that could have been the end of the battle was when the one of the British navy’s shells landed on an unprotected magazine of the fort; luckily it didn’t succeed in exploding (Hickman). The raid on Baltimore on ground had also ended when Cockburn received word from the Royal Navy that they could no longer help them, and he decided to retreat at midnight on September 14 after rejoining the fleet at North Point (Howard). Aftermath of the Battle of Fort McHenry and of 1812: The battle of 1812 was also known as the Second Battle for Independence or the Second Independence war because it forged national character and demonstrated that Americans would unite not only to win liberty, but to keep it (U.S. History). The attack on Armistead’s garrison was 4 killed and 24 wounded, and the British losses were around 330 killed, wounded, captured. This battle helped restore the American pride after the burning of Washington (Hickman). The best thing that this battle is best known for is Francis Scott Key’s composition of the Star-Spangled Banner as he looked on from the Minden ship and saw the American flag still standing after all the mortars had been fired. Star-Spangled Banner: Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that w hich the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more! Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! (Francis Scott Key) Works Cited/Sources "Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812." Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812. Smithsonian Institution, Nov. 2004. Web. 01 Nov. 2013. "Official British Accountof TheCapture of Washington D.C.As Reported in The Columbian Centinel December 7, 1814Click Hereto View Actual Article." War Of 1812. Evisium, 2000. Web. 01 Nov. 2013. "Naval History Blog." Naval History Blog RSS. U.S. Naval Institute, Naval History & Heritage Command, 23 Sept. 2010. Web. 01 Nov. 2013. Grodzinski, John R. "War of 1812." War of 1812. Royal Canadian Geographical Society, 2011. Web. 01 Nov. 2013. "Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial." Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial. Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement, Mar. 2004. Web. 01 Nov. 2013. "Battle of Baltimore." Battle of Baltimore. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2013. Howes, James G. "Attack on Baltimore Launched from Bermuda in "War of 1812"" Attack on Baltimore's Ft. McHenry Launched from Bermuda. Atlas Communications, 2005. Web. 01 Nov. 2013. Howard, Hugh. "War of 1812: Big Night in Baltimore." Historynet.com. Bloomsbury, 6 Jan. 2012. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Category:The Beginning Category:Backstory